Abstract
This study documents the variability of surface sensible and latent heat fluxes in five regions of China (Northwest China, the Tibetan Plateau, Northeast China, North China, and Southeast China) using the ERA-40 reanalysis for the years 1960–2000. The surface sensible and latent heat flux variations are remarkably different in Northwest and Southeast China. The seasonal variation of the surface sensible heat fluxes is largest in Northwest China and smallest in Southeast China. In contrast, the seasonal variation in latent heat flux is largest in Southeast China and smallest in Northwest China. The interdecadal variation of surface sensible and surface latent heat fluxes strongly depends on both the region and season. The trends in surface sensible and latent heat fluxes in all four seasons are mainly caused by variations in both the land–air temperature difference and in the specific humidity. There is also a limited contribution of wind speed in some regions, depending on the season.
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Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the comments from anonymous reviewers, which have greatly improved this work. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 41175055 and 41230527) and the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant no. KZCX2-EW-QN204).
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Zhou, LT., Huang, R. Regional differences in surface sensible and latent heat fluxes in China. Theor Appl Climatol 116, 625–637 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-0975-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-0975-0